Mindset, Personal Story

A Probate Artisan

Sunday after church service, my wife, Kathy, and I went to Jackalope – a local artisan fair in Pasadena that comes around twice a year. Kathy and I walked through the aisles and in every direction I looked I was met with the most beautiful and unique works of art. From the glass-made wind chimes

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Goal Setting, Mindset, Personal Story

It Only Took Eight Years

A few months ago, I shared about how my son, Ernie, became an Eagle Scout. Well, last week we got to celebrate Ernie and the other scouts in his troop who recently got their Eagle at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. As a father, it was such an emotional experience to sit there and

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Business, Mindset, Negotiations, Personal Story, Probate Niche

The Easy Button

I told you earlier this week about my experience buying a new car. We’re loving our new Honda Pilot, but that meant we had to say goodbye to the Cadillac Escalade that has served us so well over the years. So when the time came to sell, I decided to check out CarMax. I wasn’t

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Personal Story

Drive It Till It Dies

Loyalty is important to me. I’m loyal to my family. I’m loyal to my friends. And apparently I’m loyal to my car. I’ve been driving our Cadillac Escalade ESV for years now. And I’m the kind of guy who will drive a car until it dies. Our Escalade is getting on in years now and

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Business, Personal Story

The Repo Man

Twenty some years ago when I took a leap of faith and became a real estate investor, I had no idea all of the different hats I’d have to wear. In the morning you might be working the phones calling leads. Later in the afternoon, you might have to be a contractor making sure a

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Personal Story, Probate Niche, Probate Nugget

Are You This Old?

There was a time when it was cool to be part of Gen X. Now our kids are getting married and even having grandkids. Even though I am a gen x’er, I’m pretty young at heart and my age doesn’t really enter my conscious mind. This is mostly true, but every now and then something

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Personal Story, Probate Property

Ernie in Da Hood…

This weekend I had to go pick up the keys to a property that is located at an old neighborhood in Los Angeles that I used to spend some time at when I was growing up. Back when I would gather with friends in the streets of L.A. in the 80s and 90s, this neighborhood

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Mindset, Personal Story

My Momma

We all have weekly rituals. I’m sure there are things you do each and every week without fail. It’s those weekly anchors that you look forward to that keep you moving forward each week. For me, one of those weekly rituals is spending an afternoon with my mother. I usually take her grocery shopping. Spending

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Mindset, Personal Story

Wedding Dance

God has blessed me in many ways and with many gifts. Rhythm is not one of them. When I am coaxed to hit the dance floor, I usually end up looking like Elaine from Seinfeld. Have you ever seen the episode where Elaine dances? It’s a classic! Here’s a link to check it out lol

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Personal Story, Probate Property

A Million Pennies

It’s crazy what some people find hidden in houses. Over the years I’ve discovered some pretty crazy stuff. My friends say that my probate stories are the stuff of legend. But some stories, while not as exciting, have meaning beyond the dollar value. I stumbled upon a news story this week about a family who

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Mindset, Personal Story

Sometimes I Act Like I’m Five

I love celebrations. What better celebration is there than celebrating a birthday? And some of the best birthdays to celebrate are for kids. As we get older, birthdays can become sort of negative. Some people see them as one step closer to the grave. But kids’ birthdays are on a whole other level – the

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Personal Story, Probate Property

Honey Dripping From the Walls

I hope all had a great Father’s Day weekend. For me Saturday turned into an adventure that I didn’t have on the itinerary. I got a call on Friday evening right as I was closing down for the day that the property I had just picked up had an urgent matter I had to deal

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